Adjustable retractor blade



y 1968 w. K. GAUTHIER 3,384,078

ADJUSTABLE RETRACTOR BLADE Filed Nov. 1, 1 965 INVENT OR wy Ml zm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,384,078 ADJUSTABLE RETRACTOR BLADE William K. Gauthier, 310 Codifer Blvd.,

Metairie, La. 70005 Filed Nov. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 505,833 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-20) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The surgical apparatus includes an adjustable retractor blade secured to a mounting means. The blade has a transversely corrugated portion or arm adjustably secured to the mounting means and a right angular extending support portion with spaced parallel ribs along its lateral edges. A second portion is adjustably secured to the support portion by means of reversely bent resilient side edge portions or flanges. These edge portions have recesses which mesh with the ribs on the support member to hold the adjustable blade portion in position.

The present invention relates to an adjustable retractor blade, and more particularly to a retractor blade for use in surgery.

The retractor blade of the present invention is adapted to be employed with various types of retractor devices, and in particular is suitable for use with a retractor device as illustrated for example in U.S. Patent No. 3,168,- 093 or as shown in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 427,329. This type of retractor device is employed for producing traction in various directions and for properly retaining engaged tissue surrounding an incision during the performance of surgery on a patient. The adjustable retractor blade of the present invention is adapted to extend downwardly into the incision in the usual manner.

In the past, retractor blades employed for this purpose have been single, unjointed, right-angle retractor structures with a fixed blade length. This arrangement is not satisfactory since the depth to which the retractor blade should extend varies with the physical characteristics of different individuals. It is possible for a blade of fixed length to extend too far into the incision and thereby create pressure and necrosis without the surgeon being aware of it.

The adjustable retractor blade of the present invention is readily adapted for use in various types of surgery such as abdominal surgery, thoracic surgery, cardiac surgery and the like. The blade is manually adjustable to enable the length thereof to be changed in accordance with the particular person being operated on so that in every case the blade may be adjusted to extend just the right amount into the incision, and furthermore, this manual adjustment may be carried out in a most simple and expeditious manner.

It has been suggested that the retractor blade be formed of sufliciently resilient or malleable material to permit a certain amount of adjustment thereof, but this in itself is not an adequate solution to the problem since it is too difficult and time-consuming for a surgeon to bend and mold such malleable blades into the particular configuration required in each individual case. On the other hand, the adjustment afforded by the present invention enables the blade to be readily adjusted with a minimum of time and effort.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel adjustable retractable retractor blade for use in surgical procedures.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable retractor blade which can be manually ad- 3,384,078 Patented May 21, 1968 justed in a quick and efiicient manner so as to properly cooperate with different persons according to their size and various other physical characteristics.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable retractor blade which is quite simple and inexpensive in construction, and yet which at the same time is quite efficient and reliable in use.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent when considered in connection with the specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view showing the adjustable retractor blade of the present invention mounted in operative position on a retractor device;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the device is illustrated as mounted in operative position in FIG. 1 wherein reference numeral 10 indicates a transversely extending bar or connector member which may for example correspond to member 32 illustrated in FIG. 3 of US. Patent No. 3,168,093. Thus it will be seen that the adjustable retractor blade of the present invention is adjustably mounted for cooperation with various other components of a retractor device.

An elongated hollow sleeve 12 which may be identical in construction to the hollow sleeve 45 shown in US. Patent No. 3,168,093 is provided, sleeve 12 being substantially square in cross section and being slidably disposed on member 10. Sleeve 12 is provided with substantially rectangular cutouts or slots 14 adjacent its ends with a thumb screw 16 extending through the top portions thereof adjacent each end. The adjustable retractor blade of the present invention is illustrated generally by reference numeral 20 and is shown as being supported in one side of the sleeve 12. It will be understood that two retractor blades can be supported by the sleeve, and only one is shown as being supported in operative position for the purpose of clarity.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, the adjustable retractor blade of the present invention includes a first blade portion comprising a securing portion 22 and a support portion 24, these two portions being integral with one another, and the support portion extending angularly from the securing portion at approximately degrees thereto.

The securing portion 22 is provided with a plurality of grooves or recesses 26 formed therein which extend laterally thereof from side to side thereof, these groove: being adapted to receive the lower tapered end portion 16' of thumb screw 16. The interengagement of the lowel end of the thumb screw with the grooves in the securing portion permits the blade to be mounted in any desirec relationship with respect to the sleeve 12 and the membei 10. The blade may be positioned either nearer to the sleeve or farther away therefrom than is shown, and it addition, the angular relationship of the securing por tion in a horizontal plane can be adjusted with this inter relationship. The right-hand portion of the securing por tion as seen in FIG. 2 terminates in a downwardly ant inwardly turned flange portion 28 which may be manuall er grasped for adjusting the position of the blade with respect to the sleeve 12.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 3, the support portion 24 is generally arcuate in configuration, and further has a cross sectional configuration such that the thickness thereof increases from the lateral edges thereof to the central portion Where a longitudinally extending rib or spine 32 of greater thickness is provided, this rib or spine serving as a reinforcing means to rigidify the support portion. As seen most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, support portion 24 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs 34- extending along the opposite side edge portions thereof, these ribs being formed integral with the support portion by being pressed therefrom.

The second blade portion 40 is also of generally arcuate cross sectional configuration as seen in FIG. 3 and is complementary to the cross sectional configuration of the support portion 24. The opposite side edge portions 42 and 44 of member 40 are bent back in generally parallel relationship to member 40 to form channel portions at opposite sides of member 40, these channel portions slidably receiving the opposite side edges of member 24.

A first plurality of recesses 46 are provided in spaced relationship along the inwardly facing surface of the side edge 42 of member 40, these recesses snugly receiving the ribs 34 formed along the corresponding side of member 24 for holding the member 40 in operative position. In a similar manner, a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses 48 are provided in the side edge 44 of member 40 for snugly receiving the ribs formed at the corresponding side edge of member 24.

It will be apparent from an inspection of FIGS. 4 and 5, that the interengagement of the ribs and recesses formed on the support portion and the second blade portion wil normally serve to hold these components in a particular operative position. If it should be desired to move the movable portion 40 into a more extended posi tion as indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 1, it is merely necessary to grasp the movable portion 40 and apply downward pressure thereto whereupon the ribs will slip out of the recesses in the side edges of members 24 and 40, and member 40 may be moved downwardly until it is in the desired position whereupon the ribs and recesses will again snap into engagement to hold the components in such position.

The retractor blade is formed of a resilient deformable material such as stainless steel or the like which is resistant to corrosion and which may be readily manually manipulated as discussed above. Additionally, by providing the various components of such material, the angular relationship of the support portion 24 to the securing portion 22 may be adjusted if so desired. The retractor blade may be formed of a plastic material which also has the desirable characteristics of being resistant to corrosion and being of a resilient deformable nature.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided according to the present invention a new and novel adjustable retractor blade adapted for use in surgical procedures and wherein the blade is manually adjustable in a simple and easy manner to a desired length so as to properly cooperate with different individuals. The apparatus is quite simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, and yet at the same time is quite efficient and reliable in use.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claim, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claim or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by the claim.

I claim:

1. An adjustable retractor blade comprising first and second portions formed of relatively rigid and resilient material, said first portion including a securing portion for securing said first portion to a suitable mounting means, said first portion also including an integral support portion extending from said securing portion, said second portion being movably mounted on said support portion, said second portion and said support portion including interengagable locking means for holding the second portion in a desired adjusted position relative to said support portion, said securing portion being provided with a plurality of spaced transversely extending indentations for receiving a suitable securing means, said support portion extending angularly from said securing portion and being of generally arcuate cross sectional configuration, said interengageable locking means including a plurality of spaced ribs formed along lateral edge portions of said support portion, said second portion also being of generally arcuate cross sectional configuration and the opposite lateral portions thereof having reversely bent resilient side edge portions defining channel portions slidably receiving the opposite side edges of said support portion, said interengageable locking means also including a plurality of recesses formed in said reversely bent edge portions of said channel portions and snugly and resiliently receiving said ribs for holding the components in adjusted operative positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,157,202 10/1915 Bates et al. l28-20 2,474,857 7/1949 Newman l28-2O 2,623,517 12/1952 Barlow et al. 128- 20 2,863,444 12/1958 Winsten 1282O 3,040,739 6/1962 Grieshaber 12820 3,168,093 2/1965 Gauthier 12820 OTHER REFERENCES A Comprehensive Guide To Purchasing, V. Mueller & Co., Rand McNalley & Co., 1963, p. 618, Item C relied on, copy in Group 335.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

K. L. HOWELL, Assistant Examiner. 

